Season by Season
1962 to 1963

Celtics Triumph Again as Cousy Bids
Adieu

Bill Russell slammed
down another MVP year.

Significant changes took place prior to the season. The Warriors, who had the
league's top gate attraction in Wilt Chamberlain, moved to San Francisco
and the Western Division. To compensate, Cincinnati, with Oscar Robertson,
was moved to the East. The Chicago franchise changed its name from Packers
to Zephyrs. Bob Cousy, now 34, announced before the season that it would
be his final one. Exciting rookies like Zelmo Beatty, John Havlicek and
Dave DeBusschere came into the league.

But some things didn't change. The Celtics didn't have a 20 ppg scorer
and yet won 58 games and another Eastern title. The Lakers won 53 games
and a second straight Western title. Chamberlain won another scoring
title with 44.8 ppg, and also averaged 24.3 rpg. The Division Finals
almost upstaged the NBA Finals, each going to a deciding seventh game.
Boston belted Cincinnati 142-131 in the East's Game 7, while the Lakers
held off a revived St. Louis team 115-100 to advance to the Finals.
The Celtics helped Cousy go out on a high note by taking leads of 2-0
and 3-1 in the series before closing out the Lakers in six games, with
the clincher coming in Los Angeles.

AUERBACH "IGNITES" OPPONENTS
IRE

Red Auerbach was all about winning, and the Celtics did little else
during the early 1960s. But Auerbach was never the most popular coach
with opposing coaches and players, due in part to his sideline manners
and victory cigars.

One opposing player who didn't mind Auerbach's theatrics was Jerry
West. "Red was outspoken," West said. "His sideline
antics were funny. I happened to like him very much. When you talk
to his ex-players, they all have great respect for him. I don't know
many players who would tell you that about their former coaches."